The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-05-20

for number of years. His promo
tion to the United States Supreme
Court took place in 1880.
Electric Executions.
QUICK AND SURE DEATH FOR MURDERERs
Recent fatal accidents to linemen
both in Philadelphia and in New York,
says the Ne,os, caused by men coming
in contact with heavily charged electric
light wires, have revived interest in
the idea of displacing the gallows by
electricity as means of capital pun
ishment.
Bills have been framed by anti
hanging societies in several States, and
will be presented at the various State
Legislatures, providing for the employ
ment of electricity instead of the moose
in executions. The advantages of
the method over the present mode of
inficting the death penalty is SO ap-
parent that it is probable that the bills
will meet the approval of some of the
States at an early day.
Numerous meth DDS, or rather many
ways of applying the same method,
have been suggested, but only three
have met with general approval among
the promoters of the movement. The
only question considered is which
would be the surest and quickest means
of causing death. Said very promi-
nent electrician who is interested in
the movement:
"Many things have to be considered
before method OF killing by electricity
could be applied. There is no doubt
about the power, nor is there any ques.
tion but that it could be used 80 as to
cause death instantly and without pain.
What would kill one person might have
but little effect upon others, however.
After determining the necessary force
10 execute the exact manner of apply
ing is not of so much Importance as is
the portion of the body upon which the
charge would be delivered. Should an
electric bolt be applied to the back of
the neck 80 as to strike the spinal COL
umn a much smaller charge would be
required to kill than probably in any
other portion of the body.
81 am not nor is any one able to
give the exact strength of battery to
cause death. 1t is generally thought
that 250 volts would not kill in the ma
jority of cases, while it is known that
1000 volts would produce death almost
regardless of how it was applied. The
electric light wires on Chestnut street,
Philadelphia, are charged with 5000
volts, 80 you can readily see how dan
gerous it would be for person to
touch an exposed portion of the wire
without anything like connection be-
tween himself and the ground"
The Hayes-Garrison method, that of
applying the charge to the back of the
neck, is considered by electricians to
be the surest and swittest and at the
same time requiring the least force. A
band fits close around the head with
one pole pressing hard against the
spinal column at the back of the neck.
The condemned man stands upon a
zinc plate insulated from the floor. To
the plate the other pole of the battery
is connected. The instant the current
is thrown on from the dynamo ma
chine death ensues.
The most humane or merciful method
is that proposed by Jablakoff, the ia
nous Russian electrician. He suggests
large armchair with copper arms con-
necte1 with wires. Wires also run to
the metal plate upon which the chair
stands and upon which the feet of the con
demned man are placed. Behind the
chair is powerful coil. The doomed
man is seated in the chair with his arms
resting on the copper plates, his arms
being firmly held to the arms of the
chair by straps. As very little except
the chair is seen by the victim, and as
there is an entire absence of anything
indicating to him the approaching dis
| solution, this method has less terrors
than any other. Indeed, Jablakoff
claims, that if desirable, the execution
could take place without the condemn
ed having knowledge that his life was
about to end. A wave of the hand of
the executioner, the touching of but
ton, or, as has been suggested, the tip
ping of the scales of Justice, closes the
circuit and all is over.
Somewhat similar to the Hayes Gar.
rison method is that of Mendez. While
it has all the terrors of the former, it
requires, the electricians claim, great
er force. The doomed man stands up
on a glass plate perfectly insulated
from the floor. Around his head is q
band of rubber with two poles of the
battery pressing close against the
temples. All ready, the signal is Civ
en-, the dynamo in an adjoining room,
or mile away, If prepared, throws III
force upon the wires attached to the
mans head, and without pain life is ex
tinct.
"In the instance of the man who wa
killed short time ago while repairing
an electric light wire" said thu
electrician quoted above, she wa
actually cooked to death. He nigh
as well be hit in the head with club
so far as ease in dissolution was con
cerned. The charge was strong enough
under either of the methods of Jabla
kof, Hayes Garrison or Mendez to XII
a dozen men, perhaps, while it wa
barely sufficient to kill one man unde
the sad conditions made public at th'
inquest"
| Another interesting instrument sug
gested as a means of punishment is th,
electric cato -nine-tails invented b!